On Being Dead

Dead is dead. Quite the unfortunate turn of events, even in your elderly years. You take a last breath, and suddenly you're at the Tunnel of Memories being chased inside by Rayva and Salan. You relive your life, get judged by Death, and then sent on to the Evenacht without so much as a user's manual on what to do next. And that, friends, is why I'm here. To explain, that there are many positive things about being deceased.

~ Lorgan, when allowed to conduct newly deceased orientation

Research:

On Being Dead

by our ghostly scholar, Yvazhera

In this Research Document:

all images by Shanda Nelson
unless otherwise stated

On Being Dead

Most faelareign, upon reaching the 'being dead' stage of their existence, are morose, upset, panicking, depressed. So many loved ones and friends left behind, so many things left undone, so many words left unsaid--and meeting Death frightens most into mindless terror.
You aren't the only one, dear reader, who is nonplussed by all this. Not only have you left the familiar behind, the new is not exactly welcoming.
As a ghost, you can't eat or sleep. You can't touch anything solid without magically manipulating your essence, and if you didn't have magic in life, that is a struggle-filled educational endeavor that can take years to master.
You have to interact with faelareign who died thousands of years before you, and their stubborn, outdated languages and thoughts and traditions. You have to interact with family, some of whom you deeply despise. The living residents of the Evenacht dislike you, not for anything you have done, but because an ancient pact between an unknown Death and the Astri allows you to exist in their lands.

You get squished into spaces mice have trouble resting in, because, being ethereal, you don't really take up room. Being smooshed into another ghost for years on end isn't pleasant, but to get better accommodations, (and to achieve the promise of the Evenacht), you need a job, and those aren't exactly falling from trees for the ghostly.
Stay outside in a rough wind, your essence gets blown away. Stay outside in a hard rain, it gets washed away. Both heat and cold drain your energy, and if there isn't enough mist available to recharge, you discorporate--and then you're stuck in a nether in-between absorbing energy slower and longer than normal.
Wild animals run away from you, pets hiss and growl at you, birds enjoy pelting your essence with . . . stuff.

Bright Spots to Being Dead

To overcome these negatives, it simply requires practice in Ether Touch. And don't get grumpy when you hear that!
Ether Touch is your first ghostly form. When you arrive in the Evenacht, you're transparent, wispy, and can't seem to do anything right--including phasing through solid objects! But with practice, you:

• can float. Just like flying! (just don't do it in bad weather)
• can phase into places you shouldn't (hehe!)
• can change appearance on a daily whim with only a thought (and some Mental Touch). Want purple hair? No problem! To look like a cat? No problem!
• can jump from a hiding place and scare the stuffing out of others--including other ghosts!
• are a hit at any celebrations with scary creatures (not only can you make your appearance frightening, you can do things like 'possess' dolls and such)
• can sing notes that last days (since ghosts don't need breath to make sound. Be careful with this one, though. Irritated ghosts will hold grudges)

The newly deceased's arrival in the Eveancht is scary. But with practice, you'll be able to do so many things with Ether Touch you never thought possible!
And once you've mastered it, then it's on to Physical Touch. Yes, more schooling, but believe me, you have time on your side.

captblack76, Adobe Stock Images

Me, Yvazhera
I love playing flute in the forest